Portable curling iron

Abstract

A portable curling iron having a barrel to be heated, includes first and second burners which heat the barrel; a fuel supply cartridge which supplies fuel to the first and second burners, the cartridge including a fuel delivery valve which controls the flow of fuel from the cartridge; a plunger which applies a force to the valve in response to user actuation, to start the flow of fuel from the cartridge; a regulator assembly including a diaphragm which applies a reverse force to the plunger when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure, to maintain a substantially constant flow rate of fuel to the first and second burners; a valve stem through which the fuel travels from the cartridge to the second burner; a bimetallic element for applying a force to the valve stem to permit the fuel to pass to the second burner when the temperature is less than a predetermined start-up temperature and for removing such force when the predetermined start-up temperature is attained; and a spring which applies a reverse force to the valve stem to prevent the fuel to pass to the second burner when the predetermined start-up temperature is attained, so as to achieve fast heat up of the barrel without fuel waste.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable heating appliance having a member to be heated, comprising: burner means for heating said member;   a portable fuel cartridge for supplying fuel to said burner means, said fuel cartridge including an aperture through which said fuel escapes from said fuel cartridge and fuel delivery valve means for controlling the flow of fuel from said fuel cartridge through said aperture, said fuel delivery valve means including control means for preventing the flow of fuel when in a first position and for permitting the flow of fuel when in a second, different position, said control means including valve seal means for selectively permitting or preventing the flow of fuel through said aperture and stem means movable between said first and second positions in response to an external force for controlling said valve seal means to respectively permit or prevent the flow of fuel through said aperture, and   first biasing means for biasing said stem means of said control means to said first position in a direction opposite to said external force,     actuator means for actuating said fuel delivery valve means in response to user actuation to start the flow of fuel from said fuel cartridge, said actuator means including plunger means which pushes in said control means from said first postion to said second position so as to apply said external force thereto against the force of said biasing means to open said fuel delivery valve means so that the latter permits the flow of fuel to said burner means; and   regulator means for maintaining a substantially constant flow rate of fuel to said burner means.   
     
     
       2. A portable curling iron having a member to be heated, comprising: burner means for heating said member;   a portable fuel cartridge for supplying fuel to said burner means, said fuel cartridge including fuel delivery valve means for controlling the flow of fuel from said fuel cartridge, said fuel delivery valve means including control means for preventing the flow of fuel when in a first position and for permitting the flow of fuel when in a second, different position, and first biasing means for biasing said control means to said first position;   actuator means for actuating said fuel delivery valve means in response to user actuaton to start the flow of fuel from said fuel cartridge, said actuator means including plunger means which pushes in said control means from said first postion to said second position against the force of said biasing means to open said fuel delivery valve means so that the latter permits the flow of fuel to said burner means; and   regulator means for maintaining a substantially constant flow rate of fuel to said burner means.   
     
     
       3. A portable heating appliance having a member to be heated, comprising: burner means for heating said member;   a portable fuel cartridge for supplying fuel to said burner means, said fuel cartridge including fuel delivery valve means for controlling the flow of fuel from said fuel cartridge, said fuel delivery valve means including vaporizer means for vaporizing said fuel from said cartridge and control means for preventing the flow of vaporized fuel when in a first position and for permitting the flow of vaporized fuel when in a second, different position, and first biasing means for biasing said control means to said first position;   actuator means for actuating said fuel delivery valve means in response to user actuation to start the flow of vaporized fuel from said fuel cartridge, said actuator means including plunger means which pushes in said control means from said first postion to said second position against the force of said biasing means to open said fuel delivery valve means so that the latter permits the flow of vaporized fuel to said burner means; and   regulator means for maintaining a substantially constant flow rate of vaporized fuel to said burner means.